Downwinder '63

Whiplash from Character Voice Changes

Revisado: 06-12-24

I’ve been binging on this author as background for a huge project. I noticed the change in audio performer and it made sense for the change in main character emphasis… Except it felt nothing like any of the previous books in the series. So much of a change, in fact, that it might as well have been a different series all together.
The main character of Del has obviously done some growing but she is unrecognizable from the first half of the series.
Gone is the wonderful southern accent and the delivery of the dialogue of all the characters is much heavier in tone.
I admit that my easy enjoyment of the series was diminished due to my efforts to become reacclimated to what felt like totally new characters with a familiar history that somehow didn’t fit any longer.

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J.K. Rowling Has Created a Magical World and Gifted it to Us All

Revisado: 10-17-23

Not just a children’s series. I’m still delighted by J.K. Rowling’s wonderful characters on this, my 5th (6th?) go ‘round. The characters and their world is so well fleshed-out that, as I read the words, I felt each book was playing as a movie in my mind.— When I saw the actual movies it was as if I was experiencing déjà vu.

And what about Quidditch!?! How Rowling managed to create this fully-faceted gem, complete with complex rules, players roles, rivalry, and tournaments that leave us cheering our favorite teams on, is mind boggling! “Imaginative” does not even come close to describing it.

I added the audio books for this series to my library so I could attend to tasks while listening and ease the strain on my 60 yr old eyes. I do still prefer my own interpretive voice in my head but Jim Dale does fine. Hagrid’s gravely voice still manages to convey the gamekeeper’s gentle and fiercely loyal heart and is my favorite portrayal in the series, while Hermione always seems whiny with Harry’s name being especially grating.

I found myself invested in the characters from the very first chapter of book 1. Rowling effortlessly drops us into their lives, giving them a place in our hearts even as we are repelled by other characters. We just can help ourselves as we root for the kind underdogs with integrity. And we mourn for the loss of those characters we love as Rowling doesn’t shy away from the grim realities of conflict—and life.

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Dull Narration Makes a Long Book Seem Longer.

Revisado: 06-09-20

This book feels needlessly overly drawn out and the narration falls flat, at best, with annoying mispronunciations throughout. The book feels tedious even though I was very interested in the subject matter. I found myself tensing at each mispronunciation and kept wishing for interruptions so I had an excuse to give this tired drone a break from stomping on my last nerve.

If you like excessively wordy chapters that seem to go over each point a couple of times or a monotonous drone buzzing in your ear, then this book is for you. If not, skip it and try American Pain for a close-up look at Florida’s most infamous pill-mill with a much better narration.

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Horrible “Star” Narration!

Revisado: 04-03-19

I love Ray Bradbury and this little gem (Fahrenheit 451) is second only to “The Illustrated Man” in my all-time favorite Ray Bradbury reads, that is, until I listened to this version. Tim Robbins’ emotional range is, well, rangeless: flat, unnuanced, and excruciating with all the comfort and feel of a cat with foot-long nails dragging them along a never-ending length of washboard. If you can’t get quite get the feel of what it’s like to experience this particular performance, go ahead and listen. I’ll grab my popcorn, putty in some earplugs, and watch you from my comfiest seat; I’ll certainly be entertained.

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Intricately woven and thoroughly satisfying

Revisado: 08-18-18

Every turn in this journey takes you closer to where you never expected to be. Masterful storytelling!

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Coziness for Either Side of the Pond

Revisado: 07-03-18

I own every one of the Cheeringham short "Cozy"s and I love them all. I listen to these stories on Bluetooth as I cook, clean or create. These are everything I believe a Cozy should be: well-written, weaving a rich tapestry that makes me feel as if I am a part of the community that is Cheeringham and, above all, I feel right at home. My teen-aged progeny don't seem to mind them either because they spend a little more time just "hanging out" around me when I am listening to Neil Dudgeon bring the characters to life in my own living room. --And that's saying something!

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FedEX or UPS: Doesn't Change What's in the Package

Revisado: 07-03-18

It seems that, judging by the reviews, you will either love this series or hate it; I belong to the first group. That being said, I am certainly not unaware of some silliness in the winding storyline. One such glaring example is something I haven't seen any other reviewer address. Maybe it just didn't bother them but it did me: (Tiny Spoiler Alert) altering Fallopian tubes does not alter DNA! This reference should have been left out altogether, being unnecessary and completely erroneous to boot. Come on, YA target audience it may be but they certainly aren't this ignorant. Anyone has been exposed to enough Human Bio from watching commercial breaks during football to figure this one out. It's Sci Fi written in the 2010s, not Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from the '90s.
I like the depth of character in Darrow, but he just keeps insisting that love, trust and just plain wishful thinking are what make the difference between someone choosing to be motivated by good or evil intentions. . . Yeah, and shipping via FedEX will make sure my next package comes filled with diamonds instead of that cheap "free gift" they send with my latest internet order fulfillment. I can't tell which is the author's core belief since his Protagonist's inner monologue keeps waxing poetic while he just keeps getting that giant sledgehammer to his nuts. Go figure.
I do have to say I am so glad I haven't sensed any whiff of that load of tripe that insists horrible actions are motivated by insanity. I believe Darrow is noble if naive (learn from it already) and there are plenty of good and bad characters in the bunch. All in all, I come away with the feeling that we can really put away our prejudices if we work at it. I hope the third installment shows we don't need to become color-blind to enjoy the variety the world has to offer us with so many talented individuals who can enrich us just from their association, no matter their color, gender, background, intelligence or socio-economic status. (Oh, and just because you belong to a particular political party doesn't mean everyone else in the other one is an imbecile either. Really.) That may just be my own wishful thinking, because I love that about my own world.

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Many, Many Changes!

Revisado: 11-19-16

A fantastic, pivotal book in the Dresden Files series! The changing developments in Harry's life and relationships hit hard and fast in this installment. Drive, clean the house, walk, jog or do whatever it is you do while listening to audio books but don't answer a text or do anything else that diverts your attention because you'll miss something. --And missing anything will leave you floundering!

From the mind of Jim Butcher, Harry's world is so rich and fast-paced that it's a feast for the mind--and ears, too, with James Marster's dry, relaxed performance as Harry. As always, each character has a distinctive voice, both in print and in audio, that leaves no doubt as to which character is speaking.

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Much Ado about Much Ado...

Revisado: 10-07-14

The premise is good: a world that begins punishing those who are successful while lauding those who do a lot of lip service about "helping" the poor by excusing their lack of performance and hard work (both the actual poor and those paying lip service), as circumstance of birth or because of their philosophy. Those who produce are penalized; those who talk a lot of philosophical good while producing nothing are rewarded for their politically-correct savvy -- and political connections who know which way the current of public opinion is blowing. (Yep, sounds familiar.)

While the premise IS good, the endless grand-standing and monologuing the same message (too far in the extreme opposite direction) gets old, very fast, going on and on and on and . . .

Instead of necessitating a download of this book in about a thousand parts, Ayn Rand could have gotten to the meat and had a much more effective book in at least a quarter of the material count. And don't get me started about Scott Brick' s narration.

Scott Brick is a very popular narrator and rightly so but even his prodigious talent wares thin as this prose drones on and on and on and ........

All in all, if you can skip past all the repetitive philosophising, the self-justified adultery (just divorce the old bat already!), and keep listening despite the extreme length of the work itself, you'll come out ahead. Just don't expect me to ever, EVER listen to this book again. Once was much, much more than enough, thank you.

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Still a favorite!

Revisado: 10-07-14

I first became acquainted with the "Red October" on the big screen about two decades ago (okay, it was longer than that) when Sean Connery was forever cast in my mind as Captain Ramius. Now that I have finally added the actual book to my repertoire, I can honestly say that I love them both. I am so often disappointed when comparing film to book and vice versa that I avoid it as much as I can. There are a few of these pairings that actually compliment one another; I believe this is one such pairing.

The Hunt for Red October is still one of my all-time favorites!

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